William m



(No Model.)

4 W. M. CONWAY. MEANS FOR CONDUCTING ELECTRIC WIRES. No. 243,853.

Patented July 5, 1881.

' INVENTUR 'WITNE5EEE.

n. PETERS, FhoioLiliwgnphen wmm m u c.

UNITED STATES W'ILLIAM M. CONWAY, OF

PATENT OFFICE.

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

MEANS FOR CONDUCTING ELECTRIC WIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,853, dated July 5,1881.

Application filed May 9, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I WILLIAM M. CONWAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Means for Oonductin g Electric Wires; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters or figures of referencemarked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

This invention relates to means for conducting telegraph, telephone, andother electric .wires underground in a manner which shall admit ofplacing a large number of wires within a small area and allow the readyremoval of any separate wire for purposes of examination and repair.

In carrying out my invention I employ a system of boxes, constructed ofiron or other metal, or of glass, terra-cotta, or other material, whichboxes are laid or arranged at the outer edge or curb of the sidewalk, orin the middle of the street, or in any other convenient location. Thecap-plates forming the closed tops of the boxes are placed on a levelwith the pavement or street, and constructed in such a manner and ofsuch strength as to adapt them to the traffic or usage to which they maybe subjected. Each end of each box is arranged to unite or interlockwith an end of the adjacent box in a manner constituting a water-tightjoint. Arranged within each box are one or more partitions, formed ofglass, india-rnbber, or other insulating medium, which are provided withone or more slots, leading from the top edge down to near the bottom,and having branch slot-s, which latter are at their ends formed intocurved recesses to receive and support the various wires. The capplateof each box is laid upon the upper edges of the box sides, and securedthereto in any appropriate manner which will effect a watertight joint.

A modification of the invention consists in the employment of wires insections instead of continuous wires. In the use of the sectional wirescertain changes in the sustaining partt (No model.)

tions are necessary, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the further description of my invention which follows, Figure I is alongitudinal section of the invention. Fig. II is a plan view with thecap-plate removed. Fig. III is a transverse section. Fig. IV is atransverse section, showing amoditication of the invention. Fig. V is anunder-side view of the cap-platc. Fig. VI shows a modification of theinvention in the use of sectional wires.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts.

A A represent the box-sections, which may be constructed of metal,glass, earthenware, or other material. The sides and bottom at each endof each box-section are formed with devices for effecting awater-tightjoint between it and the adjacent section. As shown by a andb, the mode of effecting the joint here employed is by a tongue andgroove, although I do not restrict myself to this particular arrangement.

13 indicates the partition-plate, of which one or more may be used witheach box-section, the number being determined by the length of thesection or other consideration. The partition is loosely inserted in thebox, resting in a groove, 0, formed by lugs cast or secured on the innerside of the box, as shown. Thepartition B is provided with one or moreslots or leaders, dfeach commencing or starting from the upper edge ofthe partition, and descending preferably in a perpendicular line to nearits lower part, the slot or leader being of sufficient width to receivethe wire. Branchin gin any desired directions from the main slot orleader are similar slots d, terminating each in a circular recess, (1which recesses form the beds or supports for the wires, as shownparticularly in Figs. III and IV. As exhibited in Fig. IV, two leaderswith branch slots are used in the partition. As represented in Fig. III,only one is shown; but it is intended to be indicated by this figurethat any suitable number may be employed.

0 is the cap-plate, which may be formed of metal, eathenware, or glass,and, as shown, is provided with a roughened upper surface, in order thatit may form apart of thepavement or road. I prefer that the cap-plates,which may be fastened to the box in a suitable way, shall break jointswith the box-sections, as shown particularly in Fig. I at e, the unitingends of the cap-plates resting upon the cross bar or strip f; but thisarrangement and mode of supportin g the cap-plate, notbein g essentialto my invention, may be departed from. The under side of the cap-plateis grooved, as shown in FigV, andthetop edges of theboxtongued, as shownmore particularlyin Figs. III and IV, in order that with the aid ofrubber, if necessary, a tight joint may be effected between thecap-plate and box.

As represented in Fi VI, I employ, instead of the continuous wires shownin Figs. I and II, wires formed in sections of, say, five feet inlength, provided at each end with a metal button, g. In thisconstruction it is necessary .to employ a pair of partitions placed ashort distant apart, in order that the buttons oftwo connecting wiresmay be received between the partitions, so as to connect the wires, andthus properly conduct the electric current. This modification of myinvention admits of the convenient removal of the wires for repairs orother purposes, and avoids the necessity'ot' uniting the wires bycoiling or twisting, as is the ordinary practice.

My invention, whether used with the continuous or sectional wires,admits of the following advantages: It is seen that a large number ofwires can be inserted in a very small area, and that any of the wirescan be safely liited or removed without interfering with the rest of theseries. Further, the partitions being removable, the entire series or.nest of wires can be lifted out for examination cating the box, or tothe mode of effecting the water-tight joint between the sections orbetween the box and cap-plate. It is, however, necessary to my inventionthat the partitions be provided with leaders whose open ends shall beexposed on the removal of the lid, and that such leaders shall beprovided with branch slots serving as rests for the wires.

The advantage of my arrangement of leaders and branch slots is that itadmits of the distribution of the wires to any point of the area of thepartition, as it is seen that any point may be readily reached bycarrying thereto a branch slot. Furthermore, the separate rests for thewires are so distinctly isolated that there is no possibility of onewire becoming detached from its rest and caught in the rest designed foranother wire. Further, in the act of removing the wires there is nopossibility of accidental displacement of a wire not designed to bemoved.

I disclaim partitions which are provided with simple notches for thereception of the wires, as also hooks and other similar devices servingas rests for the wires; but,

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. A series of sectional boxeseach provided with aremovable partition or partitions having entranceslots or leaders and branch slots serving as rests for the wires, theopen ends of the leaders extending to the top of the box, and the branchslots being carried from said leaders to different points of the area ofthe partitions, serving to appropriately distribute the wires throughoutsaid area, substantially as set forth.

2. A series of underground boxes for electrical wires, said boxes beingformed with \va tor-tight joints, combined with cap-plates and removablepartitions having entrance slots or leaders whose open ends extend tothe top of the box, said leaders being provided with branch slotsreaching to difi'erent points within the area of the partition, andserving to distribute and act as rests for the wires at different pointsin said area, substantially as specified.

3. In combination with a series of box-sections provided with slotl edpartitions arranged in pairs, a series of sectional wires whose ends areprovided with engaging buttons adapted to rest between the partitions,and thus unite the wires and complete the circuit, substan tiall y asspecified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM M. CONWAY.

Witnesses:

Mosns Nonnrs, WM. H. MASSON.

